Grumpy Old Bike Shop Owners

[Brian73]

Rotherham town centre is in the news for rows of boarded up shops with customers preferring to shop at the nearby retail park and Meadowhall centre.

So in an effort to support a local business I decided to try a local bike shop as I needed a headset fitting.

I turn up outside the shop, only to find the parking bays are 'pay by text message' for which they charge an additional 'convenience fee' of 20p on top of the parking charge.

I managed to find a free parking space on a nearby street.

I walk into the shop whereupon the proprietor was deep in conversation on the phone talking about the Guy Martin documentary, completely ignoring me. His dog, on the other hand was far more attentive, but I doubt Cytech qualified.

After a few minutes he put the phone down and I asked if he would be able to fit my headset for me.

Quite sturnley he said: 'No, I don't fit parts I don't sell', and walked into the back of the shop.

I can't understand this, why would any business turn away custom?

The headset and frame were brand new, I don't have the tools for the job. The going rate is £10 for about 5 minutes work.

If he'd have fitted it I would have given him some repeat business, but now I won't visit the shop ever again and will not recommend it to any of my cycling mates.

I work in retail for one of the big chain stores and we get customer service drilled into us. If these old blokes don't want to run a shop why don't they just sell up and retire?

[jezer]

I think retail shops should curl up and die. I started my working life in the retail sector in 1964. These days I do most of my shopping on the internet. Why bother with the high street? A much better selection is available on line

[NUKe]

I have quite a bit of sympathy with the shop owner , he could end up dealing with substandard bits that never fit right. Perhaps if you bothered to build a relationship beforehand then the response might have been different. LBS often operate to tight margins and the difference between trade and retail on the parts is their living.

[AlaninWales]

I have quite a bit of sympathy with the shop owner , he could end up dealing with substandard bits that never fit right. Perhaps if you bothered to build a relationship beforehand then the response might have been different. LBS often operate to tight margins and the difference between trade and retail on the parts is their living.

Surely it's the business of a shop to atract customers and to do so by being "bothered to build a relationship beforehand" in order to stay in business, rather than the onus being on customers to do this wherever they hope they might be wanted?

[NUKe]

Knowing several bike shop owners that have adopted the same policy,for good reason. people buy stuff off the internet that can be of varying standard, thenwant you to put the crap together,it then becomes your problem you fitted it. It is just easier to say you only fit the parts you sell.Bet you wouldn,'t buy the bits for your car and expect the local garage to fit. g. I am not suggesting Brian's bit are crap,just it is easier just to have a policy,

[AlaninWales]

That's rather short sighted IMO. See the 'LBSs closing' thread viewtopic.php?f=7&t=82314 for shops taking a different approach and servicing/fitting as a premium service. Even it it is the shop's policy then taking the time (especially in an empty shop) to explain it is less likely to lose future custom that a surly "we don't do that" (especially after ignoring the customer whilst carrying on a social telephone conversation), but the policy itself would be better ammended to "we have to charge a premium for fitting things not bought here as it cuts our margins" and a clear contract that the fitting (perhaps on a 'time and materials' basis) is a service only (i.e. not supplying the part and any failure of the part is still between the purchasor and the retailer). Businesses need to think differently as their environment changes and simply refusing to acknowledge the presence of internet selling will not help that LBS to gain custom from the many buying online.

[Vorpal]

While it does sound like poor customer service, I don't blame him for not fitting parts that weren't purchased there.

On the other hand, I think most of the decent LBS's I have dealt with would at least have had a look at what you had.

When I've needed headsets doing, I've exchanged favours with a clubmate, rather than going to a shop.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
There is little point in being pig headed about buisiness, as some one who started a buisness from scratch by simply posting my name in the local paper, its hard work.
But what would you rather do, sit around all day and pay out expenses or pay the same expenses and take money too.
If the former you are cutting your nose off to spite your face which many cannot afford.
I have worked for some who skipped the country without paying then returned and phoned me to do work, not using their old name and parking their bike at end of road
If I confronted them I would lose the job, I could not be one hundred percent it was the same person so I do the job and I am paid, If they did not pay me I would be more sure they were the same person.
Seeing twenty or thirty people aweek you can never remember even 5 % at a latter date.

I would always inspect the parts and warn the customer of problems before proceeding if in doubt of quality.
I realise that in some buisinesses that a large proportion of profit is in the sale of parts.

Turning buisiness away or ignoring your potential customers is the first nail in the cofin or could just be your last.......

[mrjemm]

Surely considering bike shops do repairs and servicing, which will commonly involve removing and re-installing parts that they did not sell, then this is equivalent, and refusing to do so is double standards?

I felt bad having some wheels built up using rims I sourced elsewhere, but it was done, and by someone with a reputation worth maintaining. I put Madame's bikes together, but am not always there/available to do so, so often she'll need a professional to help; if all shops took this stance, it would be a real pain in the bum.

Edit...

There used to be a good bicycle cooperative in Lancaster called Freewheelers, but sadly they closed down. Places like that should get all the business instead of the short sighted and the chains. It's crazy.

[thirdcrank]

Anybody running a retail business is entitled to provide whatever services they like within the law, but ignoring customers and being rude when you do condescend to deal with them is a certain way to lose custom and probably get grumpier and grumpier as the business goes down the tubes.

[Ben@Forest]

I'd say part of the problem is people expecting good LBS service when they only ever come in with bikes, materials, even the lycra on their back, which hasn't been bought at the shop. I have a good relationship with my LBS but have bought three bikes there and other bits and pieces now and again even though I know I could have got it cheaper online (and I do buy stuff online). I pay for jobs I can't do myself but have walked in and had jobs done there and then (even though they were evidently busy) and also have had a few jobs done which they've waived payment for - even if the job used some minor materials.

So you do pay for service, but good service is a blessing when you want something sorted quickly (and just sometimes inexpensively!).

[StellaLdn.]

I have quite a bit of sympathy with the shop owner , he could end up dealing with substandard bits that never fit right. Perhaps if you bothered to build a relationship beforehand then the response might have been different. LBS often operate to tight margins and the difference between trade and retail on the parts is their living.

That's just wrong, in my view. Why has a customer build up a relationship to a lbs? It's the other way round. A lbs, who repeatedly proves to be good with customers and know their work, will build a relationship with their customers. Since when is it a crime to walk into a bike shop and ask for help? The guy could at least have looked at the headset job, then make a decision. That kind of behaviour is just rude.

[StellaLdn.]

I'd say part of the problem is people expecting good LBS service when they only ever come in with bikes, materials, even the lycra on their back, which hasn't been bought at the shop. I have a good relationship with my LBS but have bought three bikes there and other bits and pieces now and again even though I know I could have got it cheaper online (and I do buy stuff online). I pay for jobs I can't do myself but have walked in and had jobs done there and then (even though they were evidently busy) and also have had a few jobs done which they've waived payment for - even if the job used some minor materials.

So you do pay for service, but good service is a blessing when you want something sorted quickly (and just sometimes inexpensively!).

Most bike shops offer repairs. I'd not buy a bike in a shop, for instance, but if I need some work done I can't do myself, I'll go to a shop and ask for help. I'd at least expect them to look at the job, and then, if they don't want to do it, explain to me why. I'm quite lucky, having a superb lbs I can bring my bike to and work on, using their tools (if I don't have them), and a shop where I worked over the summer, if I get stuck with something, but if that weren't the case, I'd take it to a bike shop that treats me with respect. I think you could always explain to a customer that it's doable, but cost more money. Then it's the customer, who makes the decision.

[NUKe]

I didn't say the bike shop owner was right just I could see his point of view and not getting at Brian but we only have his side of the story,for all we know he could have the attitude and the owner didn't think it was worth pursuing. he might also have such a loyal following so that he couldn't fit in.both my friends shops do it,to stop the deluge of internet bikes swamping the loyal customer base,they will if they think you might return of course bend the rules. and they are always happy to help out passing tourists.

[whoops]

Having had a village store and experienced the:

"I've just been to town to do my weekly shop, and, I forgot to get stuffing for the turkey/or gravy powder etc. Have you any of that cheaper "Mace" "Happy Shopper" "Wavy Line" "Family Choice" cheaper brands to make do with until I can get back to Tescos.

"I don't know. What would we do without our little village shop?"

The first week the supermarket opened locally our takings went down two thirds and I shut the shop at the end of that week. They lost their shop and post office.

Need I say More?